Saturday, January 29, 2011

If you are in the market for a 200mbps powerline Ethernet bridge, you may be scouring the net for the best deal on Netgear XAV101. Or perhaps you are trying to find a bargain on TRENDnet TPL-304E.

We’ve got some good news for you. You can now get 200mbps powerline Ethernet bridges made by Alfa Networks- a trusted name in networking technology. Just as fast as their Netgear and TRENDnet counterparts (and backed by a 1 year warranty), Alfa’s AHPE303 powerline Ethernet bridges come in at a lower price than the competition.

This is especially great news for those of you looking for multiple bridges so you can connect several devices. Click to check our prices for 1-pack and 2-pack AHPE303. Also, see this related post about how one of our employees solved their DVR connection problems using 200mbps powerline bridges.

At the request of Alfa Networks, we are posting an important message about the casing of genuine Alfa products. Recently Alfa Networks became aware of a counterfeit version of their product that looks like this, with a “10G” logo on it. This is not a genuine Alfa product.

Genuine Alfa products have a different shape casing, and also have a “1” logo on the top. But even the original Alfa cases can be counterfeited, so here are some other ways to ensure you are getting a genuine Alfa Networks product:

1. Look for the anti-counterfeit hologram detailed in this video here:

2. Purchase your Alfa Networks products from an authorized Alfa Networks retailer such as Rokland.com. Our authorized reseller status can be confirmed by contacting Alfa Networks directly. You can also contact Alfa Networks directly to confirm the authenticity of any other vendor.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Have you ever heard about a best-selling author who writes book after book on marriage advice, and then ends up getting a divorce? I have worked in wireless networking for the last decade, and I have to confess, my TiVo made me feel like that guy. How could I work with wireless products every day and yet sit there and watch my TiVo stream movies using a Netgear USB stick (one of few with which it was compatible) at a 22% signal? The speed was so slow, I probably could have driven across town and rented the movie before enough data downloaded for me to be able to watch without pauses.

Like many in my position though, I became complacent. The Netgear stick was 54 mbps, and at the time, TiVo had no compatible 802.11n products. There was no way for me to add any type of an external antenna to the Netgear stick. Sure, I could have bought a repeater, but that’s another box that would have had to sit somewhere in between, taking up space and appearing out of place- and I have also read about others in similar situations who had tried repeaters with out much signal boost. Finally one day I upgraded my TiVo, and upon finding out the Tivo Series 3 HD box I bought was not compatible with my Netgear stick, I was forced into action. Out of my comfort zone, I went to the store and bought a new-to-market TiVo Wireless-N adapter. Pricey at $89.99, but it was 802.11n, and promised faster connection speeds. It did improve my connection some, but because my living room was so far from where my wireless router was, and I have a lot of interference where I lived, my speeds were still slow. And like the Netgear stick, I could not attach an external antenna to the Tivo-N adapter.

I had read about powerline Ethernet bridges a few years back, so I picked up two Linksys models from eBay and gave them a spin. They worked, but the max transfer speed was 14 mbps, just a hair above the old 802.11b Wi-Fi standard. Back into complacency I fell. The Linksys bridges were better than the old Netgear stick which was not compatible with my new TiVo box anyway, and they had cost a lot less than the TiVo-N adapter. Youtube speeds were acceptable, I would just live with what I had.

Then Alfa Networks introduced AHPE303 powerline Ethernet bridges capable of 200 mbps max transfer speeds. I didn’t even know 200 mbps powerline bridges existed, so I looked up the prices online and found the big box brand names were very expensive, like always. I got my sample set of AHPE303 from Alfa, hooked them up in my home, and was finally able to do exactly what I wanted with my Tivo. I could download movies from Amazon, and download them fast. I could stream Youtube videos- one after the other- without buffering pauses and networks lags. It is times like these that make me glad I work for a company that is an authorized distributor for Alfa Networks. I also like the fact that these Alfa bridges cost less new than their competitor’s refurbished ones!

If you have Ethernet-enabled devices in your home like a TiVo, Blu-Ray player, or even an Ethernet-enabled TV, Alfa’s 200 mbps will most likely be the fastest and easiest way for you to get them hooked up to your home network. The devices are truly plug and play and will work with any device that has an Ethernet port- even gaming consoles!

The bridges work with more than just DVRs and game consoles though, they work with computers as well. And because you don’t have to worry about interference and obstacles like you do with Wi-Fi, you can get fast speeds on all of your Mac and PC computers with zero driver installation!

Saturday, January 08, 2011

New this January are red and blue neoprene carry cases from Alfa Networks. Measuring 6.5 inches by 4.5 inches, the case is just big enough to hold your Alfa AWUS036H, AWUS036NH, or AWUS051NH wireless long range USB adapter, a long with the factory 5 dBi antenna and USB cable those devices come with.

There is enough room to keep your mini-driver CD or other computing devices such as a USB flash drive or cell phone charger. The neoprene material is soft yet protective, and water resistant as well. It is the perfect size- big enough to hold what you need, while small enough to fit into your laptop carry case.

You can buy the red or blue case at our web site now, and very soon this will become part of our mega-kit over at eBay.

Friday, January 07, 2011

The AWUS036EW is a new low-lost long range high-powered Wi-Fi USB adapter from Alfa. It features the same Realtek RTL8187L chipset as the popular AWUS036H 1000mW model.

AWUS036EW is a great option for those in need of a long range high-powered Wi-Fi adapter who are also on a budget. It is also a great option for travel, as it is a smaller form factor vs. the AWUS036H. Both models are great, so choose which one is best for you. AWUS036EW can work with any laptop or desktop that has an available USB port and Windows 2000 or later (it is Windows 7 compatible).

It includes a 5 dBi gain antenna and comes new in retail box. It has a one year factory warranty.